CO129-600-3 Salaries Commission- proposed Public Services Commission 1-4-1949 - 31-12-1949 — Page 49

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candidates are found for them. But it seems to us that, in the particular circumstances you have in Hong Kong, this may be an undesirable rule to apply to the Administrative Service, and possibly also to the police. In the case of a Colony which has a real prospect of becoming a self-governing entity, the principles laid down in Colonial No.197 may rightly be applied to the Administrative Service as well as to the technical and professional services. But it is at least arguable that the only prospect of Hong Kong's remaining a separate entity and avoiding absorption into China lies in maintaining a strong British Administration in which měst of the key administrative posts would continue to be filled by Europeans. This would not exclude the possibility of suitably qualified Chinese British subjects being admitted to the Administrative Service in Hong Kong, but it does seem to us that the continuance of British Administration in Hong Kong might well be prejudiced if there were more than a leavening of Chinese in the Administrative Service. On the other hand, you may feel that there are difficulties about omitting Administrative or Police posts from the schedule of posts to be referred to the Commission. Ir they are included in that

schedule,